Sash holding bracket



Patented Oct. 21, 1952 vSASI-I HOLDING BRACKET Morris'Ketchum, Jr., New York, N. Y., assignor to The Kawneer Company, Niles, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application March 23, 1946, Serial No.

656,675. Divided and this application Decem- -ber 4, 1948, Serial No. 63,563

This Idisclosure relates to'glass' setting devices and isa division of my copending application Serial No. 656,675, filed March 23, 1946, now -Letters PatentV No. 2,463,284, The broader aspects of the sash construction illustrated are described and claimed in the. parent case, and the subject matter of the case is specifically directed to the improved bracket or clip employed for drawing the removable sash member into hrm but resilient engagement with the plate glass.

It has become more or less conventional practice toprovide glass setting -devices including an inner sash member or housing permanently mounted in the window opening, withfa plurality of glass setting blocks enclosed within the sash to support the weight of the glass, and a removable outer sash member having some mechanism for rdrawing it inwardly to clamp the glass against a glass engaging flange on the inner wall of the housing. Various and sundry-forms of brackets and clips have been devised for holding the outer sash member, yet, in actual use, those heretofore introduced to the trade have shown themselves to vbe unsatisfactory by reason of the fact that they either fail to provide the necessary resiliency in their clamping action and thus tend to impose unnecessary strains on the glass, or because they have insufficient strength to properly accomplish their function.

It is not the purpose of this writing to discuss the faults of prior types of clips-at great length, but it is believed that in order to clearly demonstrate the practical advantages that al clip-in accordance with the applicants teachings brings about over the types'previously used itis advisable to point out that aV successful glass setting structure requires that the glass be gripped very firmly, for a large plate glass window is exceedinglyl heavy and is subjected to great strains by high winds, shock and vibrations; yet the grip must be very resilient in nature, for the glass is brittle and will fracture if held between rigid surfaces. These two requirements arediicult to reconcile, since if the parts of the sash are made strong enough for the purpose they are apt to-be ltoo rigid, while if constructed in a manner to be sufficiently resilient they usually have insuihcient strength t0 give adequate support to the glass. This is particularly true in connection with modern glass setting structures wherein it is desirable to keep the sash members as small as possible, since space within the channels is so limited that the resilient clips must necessarily be quite small in size.

Another failing noted in 'types of clips previous- A4 claims. (c1. ,2o-56.4)

ly oiered has been'that they fail to secureth outer sash tightly enough against the sill'or other adjoining parts ofthe window frame, with the result thatthe outersas'h member may pull away from the sill or trim, leaving an undesirable'gap or crack. l

It is accordingly the primaryv object of 4the present invention to provide a bracket for holding the outer sash member ofa storev front wherein the bracket is designed to coact with screw threaded clamping devices on'the inner sash so that it not only draws theouter sashmember 4inwardly against the outside surface of the glass but also holds the outer sash member in rm contact with the surfaces 'of the window sill or trim. ln accomplishment of this function the present invention contemplates'clips having means to engage the lower edge of the'bottom sash member and hold it' down against the sill, while' the outer edges of the top'and side sash members are'similarly urged upwardly and outwardly against `the surfaces of the window opening.

It is a further object of the inventionto' provide a sash holding bracket so designed that the resilient glass clamping member has the strength requisite to support a heavy glass plate, yet nevertheless has sufficient resiliency to accomplish 'its purpose. In furtherance of this object this invention employs a glass clamping arm on the bracket of somewhat greater physical length than heretofore used, so that the arm may be of strong, stiff construction, but will be neverthelesscapable of yielding in a resilient manner. Moreover. the glass clamping arm is so mounted onv the bracket that it may iieX entirely independently of the operation of tightening devices employed. That is, the parts are so related to the tightening screw that the screw draws the bracket bodily inwardly but does not otherwise affect theexing of the glass engaging arm.

The structure by which these objects are accomplished in the present teaching comprises a sash holding bracket formed of Aa single, integral piece of relatively thin -but stiff sheet metal, having an inner portion'comprising a base andi an inclined cam united at their inner end by a reverse bend so that the cam lies substantially above the base member, and having a glass engaging arm connected to-the base yand a sash holding arm'forrned as an extension of the cam surface. It will be seen that by this expedient the glass holding arm and sash holding `armsvof the bracket cross each other, so that any flexing action that the vclamping screw may impart-to the cam Surface will not affect the .pressure exerted by the sash against the glass, but will merely press the outer edge of the sash member into firm engagement with the sill or trim of the window opening. The action of the tightening screw in the cam will, however, move the bracket bodily inwardly, to draw the upper edge of the outer sash member into very firm, yet resilient engagement with the glass.

The manner in which the teachings of this invention are commercially utilized will be best understood by reference to the drawings of the present specification in which:

Figure l is a sectional view through a typical glass setting employing a bracket as claimed herein, the view showing an upper sash assembly and a lower sash, both as contemplated by these teachings;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the sash holding brackets; and

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View thereof.

In the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the drawings, the upper sash assembly consists of an inner sash member I8 in the form of a channel, having a base II and a glass engaging iiange I2, with an inside side wall I3 abutting against the trim I4, and a forward wall I5 abutting against the outside trim I6. The base II of the sash channel is suitably secured to a head jamb Il'. This sash member thus provides a relatively wide channel for receiving an edge IS oi a pane of plate glass IS.

The lower sash assembly includes a channel 2I having a glass engaging iiange 22, a side wall 23 abuttingthe inside trim 24, and a base 25 suitably secured to the sill 26. A thin flashing strip 21 is ordinarily provided between the sash channel and the sill.

The lower edge I8 of the glass plate i8 rests on pads 28 on the setting blocks 28, and the glass is clamped against the ange 22 by a removable outer sash member 3i which comprises a flat face portion 32 having a glass engaging flange 33, and a forward portion 34 extending down to a rearwardly extending base 35. The base 35 has its inner edge contoured to provide a pair of upwardly extending flanges 3B and 3'I defining an upwardly disposed groove.

The sash retaining brackets contemplated by the present disclosure are carried at suitable spaced intervals the sash channel members 2l, and each bracket includes a curved glass holding arm 38 having a hook portion 33 at its extreme end. The hook 33 is adapted to seat in the downwardly disposed groove defined by the glass engaging i'iange 33 of the sash member 3i, and to press this iiange into resilient but firm contact with the exterior face of the glass. The other end of each lug is provided with a head portion comprising a flat base 4i adapted to rest on the ledge 40 in the channel 2I, and an inclined cam 42 joined to the base portion by a reverse bend 43 at the extreme inner end of the bracket. The bracket is preferably cut away or notched out at 44 so that the sash holding arm may consist of two opposite sections 45, each having a hook portion 43 extending downwardly into the groove between flanges 3B and 31 of the outer sash member.

In order to retract the brackets and draw the outer sash member 3l into pressure relation with the glass, lugs or clips 5I are mounted at regularly spaced intervals within the inner sash member 2|. Each lug is threaded to receive an adjusting screw 52 having its lower end rounded to engage the inclined cani faces l2 of the 4 brackets, and spaced openings are provided in the inner sash member 2I to permit access to the screws, so that by tightening the screws down on these cams the sash holding brackets are drawn rearwardly to bring the outer sash member inwardly until the flange 33 of the latter engages the exterior of the glass with sufficient pressure to iirmly yet resiliently retain this glass in its proper setting with relation to the inner sash member.

The outer sash member of the upper sash consists of a relatively broad, iiat closure plate 53 having a glass engaging flange 54 at its inner end and an outer edge 55 adapted to overlap f the outer wall I5 of the sash channel II so that it lies substantially in the plane of the outside trim I6. The closure plate shown includes a leg portion 56 extending into the channel I0 and terminating in a reverse bend 5I so that the glass engaging iange 54 and the reverse bend 5l coact to denne oppositely disposed grooves. Thus the hook portion 39 of the glass holding arm 38 of the glass holding brackets may be inserted behind the flange 54 to hold the closure member in firm engagement with the surface of the glass while the hook portions 46 of the sash holding arms 45 are inserted in the groove formed by the reverse bend 5l to hold the edge 55 of the closure plate lirinly against the trim I5 and edge of the channel wall I5.

It is to be understood, of course, that the upper sash channel IG is provided with lugs 5l and tightening screws 52 in the same manner as employed in the lower sash.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a sash holding bracket according to these teachings consists of an inner portion comprising a flat base adapted to slide on the ledge 40 of the sash member with an inclined cam surface united to the base by a reverse bend so that the action of the tightening screws will draw the brackets and sash members inwardly against the glass.

It is to be noted, however, that the present invention departs from prior teachings in that the glass holding arm 38 is not joined to the upper portion of the bracket nor to the cam surface thereon, but is instead formed as an integral extension of the base 4I. Similarly, the sash holding arms 45 are not formed as a part of the base; instead, the bracket is notched out so that this arm of the bracket is in two sections on opposite sides of the arm 38. The two sections 45 of the sash holding arm cross the glass holding arm so that any flexing of the cam portion of the bracket due to the pressure of the tightening screw cannot impair the resiliency of the glass holding arm, but merely presses the outer sash member into tight engagement with the sill or trim. Thus the bracket constructed in accordance with these teachings diiers in function from previously designed types in two principal respects.

First, it accomplishes a firmer grip on the glass, yet does so without sacrifice of the resilient nature of the grip. This is because the glass holding arm 33 (which is the arm by which the outer sash member is pressed against the surface of the glass) is not greatly affected by any ilexing of the cam surface 42 which might be occasioned by tightened or loosening of the clamping screw 52, the action of the cam will only draw the bracket inwardly and will not have any tendency to move the hook 39 upwardly or downwardly or to flex the arm 38 in such a manner as to Icause unpredictable variations in the pressure it exerts. In addition, it is to be noted that with the parts of the bracket designed as here disclosed, the glass holding arm 38 has a relatively long unsupported span from the ledge 40 to the flange 33, with the result that it can be made very strong and comparatively stiff without losing the resilient quality necessary to hold the glass firmly but safely. In the form of the invention chosen as illustrative of these principles the strength of the glass holding arm is increased .by providing anges 58 to thicken the outer end of the arm and a formed channel 59 to thicken and stiften the inner portion of the arm and the base.

The second function of the improved sash holding clip is to urge the outer sash member into firm engagement with the sill or trim of the window. The manner in which this is accomplished is shown in Figure 1, where it will be seen that a bracket according to these teachings performs this function in an identical manner in both the upper and lower sash constructions. The flush glazing closure member of the upper sash will be firmly held against the trim, since the inner edge of flange 54 of the sash closure member 53 is held in rm contact with the glass and the sash holding arms 45 of the clips exert an upward force on the leg 56 of the closure member, these two forces will coact to cause the outer edge 55 of the closure member to be pressed upwardly into firm engagement with the trim I6 of the window opening. In

short, the clip functions not only to draw thev inner edge of the closure member inwardly in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the glass so that the glass is firmly held, but also exerts a force pressing the outer edge of the closure member upwardly into tight contact with the outer vertical wall I5 of the sash channel I0. The function is the same in the lower sash member, since it will be seen that while the hooks 39 of the arms 38 engage the ange 33 of the front sash molding and draw this flange into tight but resilient engagement with the glass, the arms 45 are set in the upwardly disposed groove 38 between the flanges 36 and 31 so that the force of the screw 52 pressing down on the cam surface 42 urges the hooks downwardly and presses the lower surface of the sash molding into firm engagement with the sill 26. This departure from prior teachings results in improved performance, since it eliminates the danger of deforming the glass holding arm by overtightening the set screw 52 and in addition because it provides a positive means of holding the outer sash member in firm surface-to-surface contact with the sill or trim, so that these parts cannot pull apart and allow cracks to form at their joints.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a holding bracket for a metal window sash, the bracket comprising a single integral piece of relatively thin, stiff metal having an inner end portion consisting of a base and an inclined cam, with a reverse bend -interconnecting the base and cam at their inner end, a glass holding arm attached to the base and extending outwardly and away from the plane of the base and terminating in a hook adapted to engage an inner edge of the sash and urge it inwardly; and a sash holding arm comprising a pair of opposite portions on each side of the glass holding arm, each portion of said sash holding arm being attached to the inclined cam and extending from the inclined cam outwardly and toward the plane of the base and passing across the glass holding arm, with each portion of said sash holding arm terminating in a hook adapted to engage the sash at a point remote from the aforesaid inner edge thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a holding bracket for a` metal window sash, the bracket comprising a single integral piece of relatively thin, stiff metal having an inner end portion consisting of a base and an inclined cam, with a reverse bend interconnecting the base and cam at their inner end, a glass holding arm attached to the base and extending outwardly and away from the plane of the base and terminating in a hook adapted to engage an inner edge of the sash and urge it inwardly; and a sash holding arm attached to the inclined cam and extending from the inclined cam outwardly and toward the plane of the base and passing across the glass holding arm, said sash holding arm terminating in a hook adapted to engage the sash at a point remote from the aforesaid inner edge thereof.

3. As an article of manufacture, a holding bracket for a metal window sash, the bracket comprising a single integral piece of relatively thin, stiff metal having an inner end portion consisting of a base and an inclined cam, with a reverse bend interconnecting the base and cam at their inner end, a glass holding arm comprising a curved spring portion attached to the base and extending from the base and terminating in a hook adapted to engage an inner edge of the sash and press it into firm but resilient contact with the glass; and a sash holding arm attached to the inclined cam and extending outwardly from the inclined cam and terminating in a hook adapted to engage and hold the sash at a point remote from the aforesaid inner edge thereof.

4. As an article of manufacture, a holding bracket for a metal window sash, the bracket comprising a single integral piece of relatively thin, stiff metal having an inner end portion consisting of a base adapted to be slidably positioned on a mounting surface of the sash and an inclined cam joined to the base by a reverse bend at one side and adapted to be engaged by a clamping screw to shift the bracket bodily responsive to movement of the screw; a glass holding arm attached to the base and terminating in a hook adaptedto engage an inner edge of the sash and press it into firm but resilient contact with the glass, said arm extending directly from the base at a point remote from, and on the opposite side of the base from the reverse bend whereby the arm may flex independently of flexing of the cam.

MORRIS KETCHUM, J R.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,008,984 Murnane Nov. 14, 1911 2,335,991 Barclay Dec. 7, 1943 2,485,758 Miller Oct. 25, 1949 

